No Kids, Be Polite: Code of Conduct for Indonesian Election Candidates

A child cover his face with the Great Indonesia Movement Party’s flag during a campaign rally at a stadium in Jakarta on Mar. 23.

Reuters

Candidates for upcoming legislative elections in Indonesia have been busy appealing to voters by plastering cities in campaign paraphernalia. Posters with their pictures, slogans and number on the ballot hang from every available poll, fence and street sign. Party flags fly along highways and at traffic roundabouts.

After more than two months spent on promotions, candidates now have just five more days before the campaign period ends ahead of April 9 elections.

To ensure order and fairness, Indonesia’s general elections commission, or KPU, updated a code of conduct last August that candidates are directed to follow. Commission officials say it serves more as guidance, but those who disobey the rules are subject to sanctions based on degree of violation. Those proven to have handed out money to win votes, for instance, could be prevented from accepting office.

Advertisement

Most of the 11 main rules are fairly standard and include prohibitions against violence and disturbing public order.

But some candidates find the following ground rules particularly hard to obey.

Don’t hang posters on trees and public service areas: These include places of worship, hospitals, schools, government-owned buildings and toll roads. Environmental activists have accused candidates who still put their posters on trees of causing environmental destruction.

Party flags are tacked to trees in a neighborhood in Jakarta ahead of legislative elections on April 9.

Sara Schonhardt/The Wall Street Journal

Make sure those posters aren’t too big please: The maximum size, says the KPU, is no bigger than 1.5 x 7 meters, about the size of a standard highway billboard. Only one poster is allowed in each campaign zone.

Never offend other candidates: By insulting their religion, race or ethnicity. Nelson Simanjuntak, a member of Indonesia’s Elections Supervisory Board, said that not only offending but spreading false information that might affect the electability of a certain political party or candidate could also be considered a violation.

Definitely no money politics: All political parties and candidates are prohibited from giving out money to potential voters in return for their vote. They’ve often gotten around this by handing out freebies such as boxed lunches, t-shirts or free medical treatments.

No children at campaign events: That means anyone under 17 years of age who is not married. Mr. Simanjuntak said the rule, which prohibits parents from taking their children with them to campaign rallies, was created to protect children from circumstances that could affect their physical and psychological health. “Political parties usually hold campaigns in open spaces, so it’s hot,” he said. “It’s not good for children.” Youth are also not allowed to model in campaign advertisements.

Clean up after yourself: All political parties and candidates are obligated to rid the streets of their campaign materials before election day. This includes all party flags and candidate posters. Mr. Simanjuntak said political parties and candidates have a track record of not obeying this particular regulation. “That is why we have set up a national movement on April 7,” he said. On that day members of the Elections Supervisory Board across Indonesia will work together with political parties to clean the streets.

The complete regulations in the Indonesian language can be accessed here.

About Southeast Asia Real Time

Indonesia Real Time provides analysis and insight into the region, which includes Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Brunei. Contact the editors at SEAsia@wsj.com.

Jakarta residents share their views on how Gov. Basuki Tjahaja Purnama has been running Jakarta and whether they're worried about plans by city council to investigate his handling of this year's budget.